Former mayor’s uncle survives Lafayette shootingFormer Russellville Mayor Raye Turner was at home when she got a phone call no one ever wants to receive. After a man stood up during the premiere of the movie “Trainwreck” at a theater in Lafayette, La., the night of July 23, Turner got a phone call from relatives that her uncle, Dwight “Bo” Ramsay, was one of the nine people wounded. Two women, Jillian Johnson and Mayci Marie Breaux, died as a result of the shooting by John Russell Houser, 5...

Community photo: ConAgra raises money for local childrenConAgra Foods Inc. presented a check to River Valley Food 4 Kids for $1,757.65 on July 14. The money was raised through fundraisers, such as a pie in the face game, a cook-off and several other drives. The funds will be used to support the Russellville School District’s weekend backpack program, which ensures that children in need have food throughout the weekend, when they will not receive meals at school.

Chief gives fire station updateRussellville Fire Chief John Cochran gave a short update on the new central fire station to Planning Commissioners during their regular meeting Monday at City Hall. The commission approved recommendations to rezone property currently C-2 to C-1 at 111 and 113 N. El Paso Ave., and for a special use permit to operate a central fire station and allow C-1 parking. Cochran said seven sites in the downtown area were considered, adding that it was ve...

Car Clinic changes locationsThe Car Clinic of Russellville has changed locations. Previously at 3515 W. Main St. in Russellville, The Car Clinic has now moved to 1000 E 28th St. in Russellville. The Car Clinic, owned by Rick Butts, is a full-service auto repair that works on all makes and models for both foreign and domestic cars. The Car Clinic has been in business in Russellville for 10 years and has two full-time auto-tech mechanics on site. Owner/operator, Butts, has...

Quilting for cancer patientsMost people are familiar with the idea of a security blanket or a safety blanket and how something so simple can be all it takes to make someone feel better. This is the idea the Russellville group, Stitch and Tie, has believed and used for several years. Stitch and Tie is a local group made up of volunteers from the West Side Church of Christ in Russellville. The group gives blankets and quilts to cancer patients who are undergoing chemothera...

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BY CAMERON TATE AND TRAVIS SIMPSONThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Obituary: Charlie SherrellCharlie Sherrell DANVILLE — Charlie “Waymon” Sherrell, age 92, of Belleville passed away Tuesday, July 28, 2015, at St. Vincent in Little Rock. Waymon was born Oct. 16, 1922, in Midway to the late Clifford and Happy Robinson Sherrell. He was a WWII Navy Veteran and a cattle farmer. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Leroy Sherrell; and sister, Juanita Turner. Survivors include his wife, Lela Bell Knight Sherrell; sister and brot...

Obituary: Ricky ClaytonRicky Clayton Ricky Clayton, 51, of Dover departed this life Tuesday, July 28, 2015, in Little Rock. He was born Oct. 28, 1963, in Bakersfield, Calif., to Roy and Cloye Clayton. He was preceded in death by his sister, Peggy Muncy. Survivors include his wife of 21 years, Mandy Pack Clayton; three sons, Tanner Baker, Houston Clayton and Roy Clayton; one daughter, Brianna Clayton; his parents, Roy and Cloye Clayton; one brother, Galen Clayton and...

News Briefs (July 30, 2015)Food on the mountain The Mount George Church of Christ will host a multi-church event at 9 a.m. on Aug. 8 the Mt. George Church of Christ at intersection of State Highways 28 and 154. Food on the Mount will provide groceries, school supplies,school haircuts,medical and dental checkups, lunch,games, horse and buggy rides, fire safety/fire truck tours and lots of other things to do. For more information or to volunteer, call 479-747-3149. Old Ti...

Atkins School Board approves laptop purchasesATKINS — The Atkins School Board approved Tuesday the purchase of laptops for students in fifth grade and up. Superintendent Joseph Fisher said in the middle school, laptops will be distributed by classroom, and in ninth grade and above, they will be distributed to each student. No action was taken on an item pertaining to fence repairs. Fisher said some of the quotes for the project to mend fences were incomplete. The matter will be revisited...

Downtown streets closed for caboose relocationNorth Denver Avenue will be closed today between West B Street and West C Street to facilitate the removal of the caboose from Depot Park. Crews from Henderson Specialties and the D&R Railroad will be at the park today to begin preparations to move the caboose to the D&R rail yard on South Arkansas Avenue. The move will make way for planned improvements to turn Depot Park into an entertainment venue for the city. "Needless to say, this move is...

Obituary: Charlie SherrellCharlie Sherrell DANVILLE — Charlie “Waymon” Sherrell, age 92, of Belleville passed away Tuesday, July 28, 2015, at St. Vincent in Little Rock. Waymon was born October 16, 1922, in Midway, Arkansas to the late Clifford and Happy Robinson Sherrell. He was a WWII Navy Veteran and a cattle farmer. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Leroy Sherrell; and sister, Juanita Turner. Survivors include his wife, Lela Bell Knight Sherrell; si...

Jail releases more footage of Bland before her deathAssociated Press HEMPSTEAD, Texas — Texas authorities on Tuesday released several hours of footage showing Sandra Bland during her three days in jail, saying they wanted to dispel rumors that she was dead before arriving there. Waller County Judge Trey Duhon said such conspiracy theories — including one that Bland’s mug shot was taken after her death — have prompted death threats against county officials. “Because of some of the things that’s ...

New York prison worker pleads guilty in escape of 2 killersAssociated Press PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — A prison worker who was “in over her head” with two inmates convicted of murder tearfully pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges of aiding them by smuggling hacksaw blades and other tools to the pair, who broke out and spent three weeks on the run. Joyce Mitchell, an instructor in the tailor shop at the Clinton Correctional Facility in upstate New York, wore shackles and prison stripes as she entered the pleas i...

Griffin: Changes needed to Common Core standardsAssociated Press LITTLE ROCK — Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin said Tuesday that Arkansas should keep some elements of Common Core, but make improvements where needed to the controversial education standards and rename them to better reflect the state’s needs. Griffin, a Republican ex-congressman, said he’ll make the recommendations to a task force he’s heading that’s looking at the future of the state’s involvement in Common Core. Formed by Republican G...

ATU receives student support fundsArkansas Tech University has received a grant from the U.S. Department of Education that will allow the institution to continue offering extra support to students who need a helping hand in persisting to graduation. The Student Support Services (SSS) grant is for $220,000 per year for five years. The SSS program falls under the umbrella of TRIO, an initiative established by the federal government in 1964 to overcome class, social and cultural ...

News Briefs (July 29, 2015)Cotillions reception set for Aug. 4 The National League of Junior Cotillions will host the Parents’ Reception for the 2015-16 season of Junior Cotillion for the Russellville Chapter. The reception is an informative meeting about the classes, which teach all areas of manners, social skills, and basic ballroom dance steps. The reception is at 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 4 at the Russellville Chamber of Commerce. All parents of students, grades sixth throu...

Pottsville to consider new water metersPottsville will consider replacing its approximately 1,675 water meters in an effort to save money. At Monday's meeting of the Pottsville City Council, aldermen agreed to move forward with the first phase of a program that would replace the city's water meters. Mayor Jerry Williams said in the last six months, there was a $23,000 discrepancy in water usage billed to Pottsville (which doesn't have its own water treatment plant) versus actual us...

Planning Commission votes down PUDAfter more than an hour of questions and comments from the public, the Russellville Planning Commission voted 4-3 against recommending a 4-acre plot of land be rezoned from R-1 (single-family) to planned unit development (PUD) during Monday’s regular meeting. Early drawings were first brought to commissioners in January by Barrett & Associates on behalf of Ron Hughes. The commission tabled action on the PUD rezoning last month. The development...